Accident Sequence
Witnesses reported that the airplane was on its takeoff roll and became airborne near the departure end of the 3060-foot runway. The aircraft climbed slowly and subsequently struck trees approximately 2000 feet beyond the runway end.
Witness Observations
A witness who arrived at the accident site shortly after the crash encountered the pilot. The pilot asked the witness to turn the ignition switch off. The witness noted that the switch was set to the left magneto position.
Pilot Statement
The pilot had no recollection of the sequence of events associated with the accident.
Investigation Findings
An operational test of the engine was conducted as part of the investigation. The engine would not exceed 2400 RPM when operating on both magnetos, and could not achieve more than 2100 RPM when operating on one magneto. A check of the engine-to-magneto timing revealed that the magnetos were timed approximately 10 degrees outside the specified timing parameters. After the engine was retimed to specification, it operated to 2500 RPM on both magnetos and 2400 RPM on one magneto.